I put this one together yesterday after some experiments with cider that turned out some good stuff but a little dry for my tastes.
8 cans of Wal-Mart Apple Juice Concentrate
2 Gallons Tree Top Apple Juice
2 lbs Regular White Table Sugar
Sweet Mead Yeast – WLP720
Topped up to 5.5 gallons with bottled spring water
Heated one gallon of juice up to 150 and added four cans of concentrate and the sugar to dissolve. I had previously left out the other four cans of concentrate to soften and to use to cool down the heated mix. Combined all ingredients in my primary bucket and it was right at 90 degrees, so I pitched that mead yeast.
The sweet mead yeast should be less attenuative and leave a sweeter taste to this brew, and there would seem to be plenty of sugar present to raise the OG of this and produce a kick-you-in-the-face alcohol conent but with good flavor.
I had considered using a sweet mead yeast, but I used a wine yeast from Lalvin - the 71B-1122. Supposed to finish on the sweet side. Just put together a 3 gallon batch today (pitched around 7PM). Tough call though, since I only started with an OG around 1.050 (no added sugar, just straight pasteurized juice). On the plus side, it was only about $1 for the packet of yeast... I guess if I really want it sweet I could start tastings in about a week and sorbate it when it gets where I like. Kegging so I can carb it.
White labs have given me good success in the past, may need to give your recipe a try. What flavor would you say your cider compares with from commercial ciders? More of a Woodchuck Amber sweetness/dryness/flavor, or a Magner's, etc. or ???
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Primary - California Common -finally!
Secondary - nothing, back after year plus hiatus
Keg carbing & conditioning - nada
Drinking - store bought: Loose Cannon IPA, Wachusett IPA.
On deck: Trying to decide (beer); wine kit likely (red wine)
Well, I really don't know the ABV, never have taken the hydrometer out of the plastic tube. I am of the opinion that it causes more worry than it fixes.
This stuff is more like what I would consider a hard cider rather than an apple wine, but I have yet to try the full-on apfelwine recipe done by the mighty Ed of Wort, that's my next speriment. Overall, I was impressed by the sweet mead yeast.
Anyway, I am planning on leaving this in the fridge for another month before total consumption takes place, so I will let you know the effects of conditioning if I get back in here enough.
I had considered using a sweet mead yeast, but I used a wine yeast from Lalvin - the 71B-1122. Supposed to finish on the sweet side. Just put together a 3 gallon batch today (pitched around 7PM). Tough call though, since I only started with an OG around 1.050 (no added sugar, just straight pasteurized juice). On the plus side, it was only about $1 for the packet of yeast... I guess if I really want it sweet I could start tastings in about a week and sorbate it when it gets where I like. Kegging so I can carb it.
White labs have given me good success in the past, may need to give your recipe a try. What flavor would you say your cider compares with from commercial ciders? More of a Woodchuck Amber sweetness/dryness/flavor, or a Magner's, etc. or ???
Lou - How has your cider turned out?
I've been wanting to make some sweet cider w/o adding sugar at the end. If I recall 3068, WLP720, and Lavin - 71B -1122 have been used.
Have the results been pretty similar?
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Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get. - Dale Carnegie
I like a sweet non carb cider so this looks like a great recipe for me. I'm going to use the WLP720 yeast, 4 gallons of store brand natural style (darker) apple cider, 1 gallon of store brand apple juice and 2 1/2 lbs of corn sugar. I checked the juice and cider and it's pasteurized but has no preservitives just vitamin C. I'd like to go with the extra 1/2 pound of sugar to give it a little more kick. Does all of this sound good? This is my first cider so I can use any advice you have.
Also I'm planning on doind a second batch after the first one leaves the primary. From what I read here I won't need more yeast I can just dump the next batch right on the yeast cake. Is this just as good? I wouldn't mind buying more yeast if it will make the cider better, but I would like to save the $7.00.
I am planning on bottling some up for Christmas and giving it as gifts. Is this enough time for the cider to be done well?
Panty Dropper Sweet Cider Recipe
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